Hoffman Media, LLC expands enthusiast and lifestyle portfolio with acquisition of Martha Pullen Company and Original Sewing & Quilt Expo

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Nov. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Phyllis Hoffman DePiano, chairman and CEO of Hoffman Media, announced today that next week, Hoffman Media will complete the acquisition of Martha Pullen Company and its catalog of books, patterns, teacher curriculums, in-person and online education events and Internet Embroidery Club. The purchase from F+W also includes Original Sewing & Quilt Expo and its eight sewing, quilting and machine embroidery consumer shows.

Martha Pullen Company was founded in 1981 by Martha Pullen in Huntsville, Alabama. The business has remained the leader in fine sewing content (books, magazines, patterns and designs) and in fine sewing education (instructor-led videos and conferences). Martha Pullen Company is led by Kathy McMakin. She will continue to lead this division under the new ownership.

"Martha Pullen Company will greatly complement our Classic Sewing brand and bring exciting new content to customers. We are thrilled to bring this business into the Hoffman family of brands and we're looking forward to doing great things together," DePiano said.

The Ingraham family founded the Original Sewing & Quilt Expo in 1995 in Cleveland, Ohio. Since that time the group has grown from just one small conference to the largest multi-market consumer sewing expo in the country. The family has managed the business for 23 years, and they have also agreed to continue under the new ownership.

"We're energized by the notion of our company cultures being so well aligned. The expos bring quality and value, and Hoffman Media is the best environment for us to evolve and thrive," said  Original Sewing & Quilt Expo Senior Director of Sales and Planning Mark Ingraham.

DePiano added "We are excited to add this tremendously successful group of sewing, quilting and embroidery shows to our family of brands, and having Mark and Marlene joining our company to continue building the business makes this even better."

Original Sewing & Quilt Expo has been operating out of offices in Westlake, Ohio, where the business will continue to be located. Martha Pullen Company will be operated out of the Hoffman Media home office located in Birmingham, Alabama.

About Hoffman Media, LLC
Hoffman Media, LLC is a privately held, leading special-interest publisher based in Birmingham, Alabama. Publications include Bake from Scratch, Cooking with Paula Deen, The Cottage Journal, Classic Sewing, Louisiana Cookin', Southern Home, Southern Lady, Southern Cast Iron, Taste of the South, TeaTime, and Victoria. The company specializes in publications targeted to the women's market and the large base of advertisers who seek a print, online, and interactive medium to reach this attractive demographic. In addition to publications, Hoffman Media has a growing consumer event business and an established ancillary products division.

Hoffman Media was founded in 1983 by Phyllis Hoffman DePiano as Symbol of Excellence Publishers, Inc. and was renamed Hoffman Media in 1998. Today, DePiano serves as chairman of the board and is recognized industry wide as a savvy businesswoman and talented entrepreneur.

SOURCE Hoffman Media, LLC